I'm looking forward to your update Ed....I hope things went well today.
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Neck problems above fusion
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Debbe - 50 yrs old
Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
Told by Dr. my curve would never progress
Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees
Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees
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Originally posted by loves to skate View PostRohrer, They have been doing cervical discs at least for four years now. A high school classmate of mine living in the Charleston, SC area sent me a newspaper article about it being done experimentally in Charleston. I don't see why it couldn't be done on scoliotics as long as their fusion is balanced.
Ed, I use a very soft pillow, a synthetic down pillow that I can shape under my neck for support. I used to use a down pillow until a lot of the down managed to work itself out of the ticking and made a mess when I changed the pillow case. My trip to Cape Cod two years ago triggered much neck pain because I forgot my pillow and slept on a very firm bed with a hard pillow. I hope you get relief very soon.
Sally
Ed, I hope your lack of response is a good thing and not a bad thing. Let us know.Be happy!
We don't know what tomorrow brings,
but we are alive today!
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rohr...every surgeon i asked...and i asked a lot of top ones...
about something flexible that would support the spine....they
all said there is nothing flexible that CAN support the spine...
my husband is convinced that something along those lines will
be developed one day...but i am sure not in my lifetime...
i think 50 years from now there will be a new material, maybe,
that can both support AND give flexibility....
and if the world is still here 100 years form now, maybe
replacement spines will be developed...like replacement hips.
i mean, replacement knees can bend...why not a spine?
someday. and that would take care of fusing the neck, too.
jess...and Sparky
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Ahhhh.....The suspense! No, Ti-Ed is not dying yet.....
Well....After x-rays, It looks like my C5-6 and C6-7 is showing signs of degeneration. (I knew that was coming) An MRI was ordered, should probably do that within the next few days and in the meanwhile, I’m taking the following.....and keeping notes of course.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylprednisolone
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltarin Diclofenac
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurontin Gabapentin
After the MRI’s my doc will know more....
We talked about fusing if need be.......it would be from the front, and most likely the 2 levels mentioned above. Full discectomies, with peek cages using synthetic bone pastes.
If the above medications don’t work, next course of action would be shots in the neck.
I was just checking to see if there were any “Tombstone” fans
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tombstone_(film)
Wyatt Earp’s wife Mattie Blaylock was “dependent”on Laudanum....and eventually overdosed from it. It was the “cure all” in the wild west back in the 1800’s.
I have read over the years of many here that have taken gabapentin and wondered about it.....I guess I will find out here very shortly.....
Ed49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
Pre surgery curves T70,L70
ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada
Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=
My x-rays
http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214
http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258
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6 days
6 pills today, 5 Thurs, 4 Fri, 3 Sat, 2 Sun, 1 Monday....
The gab reduced some of the arm pain last night......slept 8 hrs
Ed49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
Pre surgery curves T70,L70
ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada
Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=
My x-rays
http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214
http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258
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Originally posted by titaniumed View Post6 days
6 pills today, 5 Thurs, 4 Fri, 3 Sat, 2 Sun, 1 Monday....
The gab reduced some of the arm pain last night......slept 8 hrs
Ed
Good to hear you finally got some sleep. 8 hours would be a dream!
If fusion is pretty much inevitable, why do they put you through the meds, shots, and pain if it can be fixed for good another way? I'm sure its insurance protocol, but it still bites that there is such a long drawn out process of trial and error.
TamenaDiagnosed at age 12 with a double major curve
Braced till age 15
SSBOB T12-L2 Anterior age 34. (October 22,2012) Dr. Robert Gaines Jr. ( Columbia, MO)
Revision Surgery T2-Sacrum with Pelvic Fixation Prosterior age 35 (November 13,2013) Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, MO)
Revision Surgery L4/L5 due to BMP Complication age 36 (November 20,2014) Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, Mo)
Revision Surgery due to broken rod scheduled for October 19, 2016 with Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, MO)
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Originally posted by titaniumed View Post6 days
6 pills today, 5 Thurs, 4 Fri, 3 Sat, 2 Sun, 1 Monday....
The gab reduced some of the arm pain last night......slept 8 hrs
EdBe happy!
We don't know what tomorrow brings,
but we are alive today!
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Originally posted by rohrer01 View PostIf they've been doing it for four years, why is it experimental?Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/
"In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.
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Ed,
I was on the same combination of meds as you are a couple of years ago for neck pain and numbness and it did the trick, so I am hoping it works the same for you. The Gabapentin can make you very sleepy and sometimes spacey which lessens overtime. The steroid can keep you from sleeping. The Diclofenec is a NSAID which works very well on pain. I am glad the Gabapentin overrode the steroid so you could get a good nights sleep.
Tae-tap, why go directly to a fusion when many time, the less invasive will work?
SallyDiagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/
"In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.
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Sally,
I just wonder if the disks are that bad to start isn't it only going to get worse? I just think sometimes the drugs are just a stall of the inevitable. But I work with feet all day, not spines so I was really just thinking out loud. Many times in my field surgery is the only thing to fix a problem (like bunions, they don't just disappear with a shot) but insurance requires us to do shots and physical therapy prior to a bunionectomy. I just wish the problem could be fixed for good and not just patched for a short time.
TamenaDiagnosed at age 12 with a double major curve
Braced till age 15
SSBOB T12-L2 Anterior age 34. (October 22,2012) Dr. Robert Gaines Jr. ( Columbia, MO)
Revision Surgery T2-Sacrum with Pelvic Fixation Prosterior age 35 (November 13,2013) Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, MO)
Revision Surgery L4/L5 due to BMP Complication age 36 (November 20,2014) Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, Mo)
Revision Surgery due to broken rod scheduled for October 19, 2016 with Dr. Michael Kelly (St. Louis, MO)
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Hi Ed,
Hopefully all will get better before long. The combination of things you mentioned helped me for a long time. Maybe 10-12 years. It is well worth giving it a try. I was fused c567,but that was well after the first major problem. My daughter is going through the same thing and her dr is treating her like yours recommends. I say it is well worth trying.She does not have the spine problem .I have another post in revision forum looking for some more suggestions also.I am still having some issues in thorasic or neck. Can't tell!T10-pelvis fusion 12/08
C5,6,7 fusion 9/10
T2--T10 fusion 2/11
C 4-5 fusion 11/14
Right scapulectomy 6/15
Right pectoralis major muscle transfer to scapula
To replace the action of Serratus Anterior muscle 3/16
Broken neck 9/28/2018
Emergency surgery posterior fusion C4- T3
Repeated 11/2018 because rods pulled apart added T2 fusion
Removal of partial right thoracic hardware 1/2020
Removal and replacement of C4-T10 hardware with C7 and T 1
Osteotomy
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The medication program I am on is working quite well. Its been 14 hours and I would say that the raw tenderness in my neck has reduced about 50%. These medications are incredible and a life saver.
I was expecting some side affects since there are all sorts of warnings about driving and working with machinery. I was not grouchy in the slightest in fact it was the other way around with great jokes just rolling off my tongue all morning.....boy did I have a lot of fun!
I feel so relieved that I could almost stay on this regiment but I think I am gaining weight “by the minute”. (smiley face) Hopefully, I wont explode like the guy in the Monty Python movie.
EdLast edited by titaniumed; 04-24-2013, 10:58 PM.49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
Pre surgery curves T70,L70
ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada
Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=
My x-rays
http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214
http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258
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so glad to hear that you are getting relief...
i would guess the prednisone type stuff is responsible for the
weight gain...
and it just may be that the weight stops when the dose of steroids
is finished...
i hope the pain relief is lasting...
hope the pain relief helps you to have a great time on your scuba
expedition...but please be careful anyway...no overdoing it!!!
jess...and Sparky
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